House spending bill repeals Obama WOTUS rule

A draft fiscal 2019 spending bill for the Army Corps of Engineers would repeal the Obama-era waters of the United States rule, ensuring it can't take effect while the Trump administration finishes developing a replacement.

The Environmental Protection Agency and Corps of Engineers have taken longer than anticipated in writing a replacement rule, which would re-define what streams and wetlands fall under the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act.

The repeal provision is included in the FY19 energy-water appropriations bill released by a House Appropriations subcommittee on Sunday. The subcommittee is due to consider the legislation Monday.

Congressional repeal of the rule would give the agencies more time to finalize the replacement.

The House bill also would fund theCorps of Engineers at $7.28 billion, an increase of $451 million over this year.

The bill would provide $3.3 billion for navigation projects and studies, including $1.6 billion in funding from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, and full use of estimated annual revenue from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, which funds construction and rehabilitation projects on locks and dams.

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Rod Hebrink, President and CEO of Compeer Financial. The lack of certainty from a new farm bill and weak commodity prices due to lost export markets and robust supplies have left farmers and lenders with a grim outlook for 2019. In this interview, Hebrink discusses the challenge of the unknown and the need for legislators and the White House to take action on farm policy, trade and regulations to help rural America prepare for the year ahead.

The world of agriculture extends beyond what’s growing in your field or living in your barn, and here at Agri-Pulse, we understand that. We make it our duty to inform you of the most up-to-date agricultural and rural policy decisions being made in Washington D.C. and examine how they will affect you – the farmer, the lobbyist, the government employee, the educator, the consultant and the concerned citizen.